Degrees are everywhere, but curiosity, critical thinking, civic sense seem to be missing from our classrooms. Since childhood, we are all taught in one form or another—by families, by society, and by schools. But when we talk about ‘education’ most of us shrink the definition to classroom walls, textbooks, examinations, and degrees. By the time we finish school and college, a common realisation dawns on us that the education we received did not really prepare us for life. This leads us to a deeper and more urgent question: What does it mean to be educated?
By the time we finish school and college,
a common realisation dawns on us
that the education we received
did not really prepare us for life.
During my college time, I started noticing that many people, even ones from top-ranked institutions, seem to lack curiosity, initiative, questioning ability, empathy, civic sense, basic responsibility and become defensive when given positive criticism. If we regard people with high scores, polished resumes, and glowing taglines ‘truly educated’ it is in stark contrast with the realities of today’s society.
While there are ongoing discussions about reforming our educational curriculum, we are still far from implementing even existing ones in a meaningful way. A large part of the blame lies in the examination-centric system. Education today is reduced to the preparation for short-term examinations while forgetting the real essence and goal of education as a whole. Despite studying subjects like history, science, geography, and civics, most students don’t know how any of it connects to their own lives, surroundings, or society. For instance, we study philosophies, but don’t know how to behave ethically, we learn about democracy, but don’t understand our own civic duties, and we know that climate change is real, but struggle to act responsibly.
In 2021, a student from IIT Hyderabad—a top Indian engineering institute—was arrested for issuing a rape threat to cricketer Virat Kohli’s nine-month-old daughter. It begs the question, how can someone so ‘educated’ be capable of such inhumanity.
Similarly, the Kolkata Law College hostel rape case in June 2024 where a law student was allegedly gang-raped by fellow students in a private hostel is deeply reflective of the contradiction of upholders of justice committing horrifying crimes.
There are numerous cases of elected representatives who are responsible for the progress of the country but struggle to read a single-page of their oath or have a hard time accepting constructive criticism.
These incidents force us to ask if we are truly educated or just literate. If education is to have any real meaning, it must do more than prepare people for jobs or examinations. It must nurture the ability to understand the world better, engage with it meaningfully, and respond with maturity and care.
The onus is really on all of us to make learning real for ourselves and everyone around us, especially for the youth. Subjects shouldn’t just exist in books. Concepts and theories must be taught using real-world happenings ranging from local to global, historical and current events as well as possible future scenarios. This approach not only helps students but also keeps teachers engaged and socially aware allowing education to become a shared journey.
Curiosity should be nurtured, not suppressed. Let students ask why and how—not just what. Empathy, ethics, civic duty, and emotional awareness should be built into every subject—not left for ‘extra’ classes. Teachers need to be lifelong learners too equipped not just with content but with context, sensitivity, and vision. In this regard, education should unite us, not divide us. Let students grow together, not against each other. Institutions in the field of education must remain dynamic to align with ever evolving demands of time and place. To be truly educated is to engage with the world through curiosity, awareness, and compassion. It’s about connecting knowledge to purpose, and learning to live meaningfully and not just ‘successfully’. Until we stop treating education as a race and start treating it as a journey of growth, empathy, and awareness; our degrees will remain a piece of paper. We need an education system that doesn’t just produce professionals but also responsible, ethical, aware human beings. Only then can we truly say that we are educated.
By Jigmath Wangchan
Jigmath Wangchen completed her Bachelor of Arts with Economics Honours from Ambedkar University, Delhi.